One
Stretching under the covers, she opened her eyes, looking directly through the window next to her bed. She sighted as she watched the now familiar drops of rain and gloomily sky above. Throwing her legs over the bed, a cold shiver ran up her legs as she met the cold floor with her feet, mechanically, with her eyes still half closed she looked for her UGGs that lay next to her bed, waiting to take her cold away with their warm furr. Next was her fluffy robe that embraced her shivering body. It's been over a month since she moved to Dublin, and saying that she adjusted to the cold water, was a understatement. Dragging her feet along the wooden floor, she exited her bedroom and went to her kitchen to put the kettle on, so the water will boil until she brushed her teeth and took a quick shower.
Her shift at the pub was starting soon and she couldn't afford to lose this job, especially since her rented apartment was right above the said pub. She dropped the robe on the marble floor and took one glance at her in the mirror before she put some toothpaste on the brush and started cleaning, brushing her teeth aggressively. It was damn hard to get accustomed to her dyed blonde hair, and at the rate that her hair seemed to grow, she needed to cover her roots again. She sighted once again and left her pj's on a pile on the ground as she entered the shower.
The apartment wasn't big but neither small, she had everything she needed to survive, a spacious bedroom, with a queen size bed, a little wooden closet to keep her clothes in and a vanity, where her make-up and glasses rested. Her kitchen was wide-open, connecting it directly to the living room, that was bare except for a worn out couch that she found on sale amd a small wooden table that she salvaged from a neighbouring house that threw it out a week ago. Her laptop was the only treasure she had, that and her netflix account.
The freezing water broke her train of thoughts and she jumped out of the tub.
"Blyat!" cursing the landlord again, she closed the tap, and covered herself in the warm robe as she went to the kitchen to make herself some well-deserved coffee.
She had one mug and one teaspoon, as that was all she needed. Ever since she moved here she made a rule to not invite people over at her house. It was her safe
heaven, the only place where she could be her without the constant hiding of her personality. It was crucial that that nobody knew who she was, for her own survival.
Stirring the instant coffee with three teaspoons of sugar, she poured the boiling water in her mug, and looked for a lighter, as she made her way to the living room window. The floor to ceiling windows, were the first thing that made her love this apartment, that and being on the top floor of the building, nobody could see her, but she could see everyone. The control that came with the idea, was what made her rent it as soon as she saw it. She never saw the landlord, the owner of the pub, his sister Mikayla was the one that hired her on the day shift and took the money for the rent.
Taking a sip from the hot coffee, she opened one of the smaller portions of the window, and lighted a cigarette. She only had time for this one and a few moments of peace before her day began, so she choose to enjoy it. It wasn't that serving tables was a hideous job, it was just tiring, her small feet hurt every day, but the tips and the company of Mikayla was worth it. A fiery redhead with no filter from her brain to her mouth, that showed her nothing but kindness since she stumbled into her pub on the first day a month ago, hungry and tired of sleeping in the train stations. She asked for a warm tea and a piece of bread, because she only had five pounds on her, and Mikayla brought her a plate full of scrambled eggs, bacon and toast, and a mug with hot coffee and a drop of whiskey, when she protested, the woman told her to sit her skinny ass down, or she'll unleash hell on her frail body.
And if she weren't so damn tired and aware of how her body lacked her old training, she would've at least put up a fight, but all she did was whisper a 'thank you', and started eating with her eyes full of tears. After she finished, she went to Mikayla and demanded that she worked for the food, the woman simply smiled and threw her a apron, telling her to take the food from the kitchen to the booth near the back door. And she did just that, she served all the tables with a charming smile, trying to please the consumers and the wild redhead who showed her that kindness wasn't lost on people.
Her tiny tired legs almost gave her up that night, but she slided from booth to booth, from table to kitchen and bar, trying to repay Mikayla for the food, and when the clock stuck five am in the morning, and the last drunken customer left the pub, the redhead pored them both a cup of warm black tea and told her that she was hired if she wanted to be.
After month's of living like a beggar with nothing more then her backpack to keep her company, it was the best news that she heard. She didn't even had a chance to thank her, as Mikayla slid a key on the table, telling her that the apartment on the top floor was all hers if she needed it. And that was the moment that her tears started flowing without restraint, leaving her completely vulnerable in front of someone, something that her late father would've never approved.
Crushing the bud in the ashtray, she closed her window and went in the bedroom with her mug of coffee still in hand. She rummaged through her clothes, and opted for a blue bra, a black sweater, that saw better days in the past, and a pair of black skinny jeans that where ripped a little on her left knee. She didn't have much, but all she had was enough for her. Slipping her only boots on, a pair of brown combat boots, she took a seat at the white wooden vanity table, and started to cover her neck tattoos. After she was done, she begin to apply her eyeliner and mascara, she didn't bother with her lips, as she had a bad habit of bitting them throughout the day. She took the black rimmed glasses and she smiled satisfied when the woman in the mirror stared back at her, having almost no resemblance to her true self.
Once again she successfully transformed herself in Lyness Collins, a american woman who wanted to explore the world and ended up in Ireland, Dublin.
